THE RIVER. 315 



This is one of the most common ways of 

 losing a fish ; it can happen only when the 

 salmon, in some of his various manoeuvres, 

 has succeeded in getting a slack line. When- 

 ever such an accident occurs, to pull is per- 

 fectly useless, the nose of the fish rests 

 against the rock, and the line passes over it, 

 resting probably against one of its sharp 

 edges, and consequently the only effect of a 

 strain will be to part the line. If the 

 stream can be crossed either by wading or 

 boating, so as to get the pull from the same 

 side of the rock as that on which the fish 

 has laid himself up, the danger, of course, is 

 obviated ; but if this is impossible, the only 

 resource is patience till the fish moves of his 

 own accord, or the very faint chance of start- 

 ing him by a well-aimed stone. 



In the present case this latter resource 

 was altogether out of the question ; the Cap- 

 tain himself was nearly a dozen yards from 

 the dry land, and his line^ full fifty yards in 

 length, stretched still farther from the bank, 

 pointing diagonally up and across the stream. 

 The fish was evidently much nearer to the 

 Parson's side of the river, who, by clamber- 

 ing out on the wing of an old ruined eel- 



